Doctors in Iceland raise ethical concerns over fitness certificates for deportees

Doctors in Iceland are expressing concerns over the ethical implications of issuing certificates of fitness to fly to individuals being deported against their will. The head of the Icelandic Association of Family Physicians argues that this practice violates medical ethics, emphasizing that doctors should not act as border guards.

Margrét Ólafía Tómasdóttir, president of the association, stated that facilitating the deportation of individuals through these certificates contradicts medical principles and international humanitarian agreements. The association is urging health professionals to refuse to issue such certificates, asserting that the primary role of doctors should be to heal and improve patients’ wellbeing, which these certificates do not achieve.

The certificates are required when asylum seekers are forcibly removed from the country, serving as a doctor’s confirmation that the individual can be transported. While regulations allow authorities to compel doctors to provide such certificates, Margrét maintains that this should not fall within a physician’s responsibilities.

She emphasized the moral difficulty this situation presents for doctors, stating, “This is something we find ethically challenging to do.” The association is encouraging its members to prioritize patient welfare and to resist participating in practices they find ethically objectionable. The ongoing debate about the role of healthcare professionals in immigration control is reflecting broader discussions happening globally.